Switching to Reef Crystals...

[carey]

I also have switched salts pretty frequently, depending on whats on sale. I also do 50% water changes on most of my tanks and have never had any issues involving parameters shifting drastically or any ill effects on any livestock.

When I change salts I just go about my water change as usual, no need to get all the "non reef" salt outta the system before adding corals. After a few weeks it will be converted over and wont; matter in the least.

Good luck.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The OP has a non reef salt with FOWLR. If one has to put corals on it without the right parameter it would be a gamble. May be if you start with the hardy ones it's okay. However, with a 20 gal tank I would just replace 50% on the 1st pwc. It would give me peace of mind knowing I have the right parameter at the star or shorten the time to be at the right level.

 

[acolotto]

IMO instant ocean regular is good for corals already your levels should be fine anyways. Yes reef crystals will increase coral trace elements but nothing crazy. I made this switch to reef crystals after about 18 months of using IO and just did so by simply just using it in pwc instead of IO. If your having issues with calc/mag/kh/ etc it is not going to change based on salt there probably a underlying issue but if your just wanting corals and want to switch salts if it was me I would not do anything different then you are now besides using the different salts but again that imo

 

[dmolavi]

OK, so the moral of the story is to check all the parameters, make sure they are sustained, and just do the switch during PWCs.

 

[Gregcoyote]

OK, so the moral of the story is to check all the parameters, make sure they are sustained, and just do the switch during PWCs.

That sounds right to me.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The manufacturer recommends IO for fish, inverts and plants. Corals may live but you will not expect good growth due to insufficient trace elements.

 

[huma-huma]

The manufacturer recommends IO for fish, inverts and plants. Corals may live but you will not expect good growth due to insufficient trace elements.

This isnt necessarily true. Theres people that have successful reefs with regular IO salt. Reef crystals just have higher trace elements. Which means that you could technically support more corals.

 

[Ingy]

One website reports a higher level of calcium in the reef crystals as well, but doesn give comparitive numbers. But if true, thats important.

 

[huma-huma]

Important, yes. Only if the difference between the two is great enough. May buy some small boxes of each and do some testing once my test kits get here

 

[Animal-Chin]

I've only used regular instant ocean and my corals seem happy. I do dose Alk, cal and mg though cause my tank is really heavily stocked with coral and they grow like crazy. There is only one store that sells reef crystals in my area and they sell out in like 2 days so finding it is tough for me. I'd give it a try but for now regular is workign fine...

 

[Ingy]

I dose too (20% WC every 3 weeks). I think it might come down to price because a 64oz bottle of Part A or B or Mag additive only cost about $13. Each is good for 5 moths or so, so that's cheap. Not sure on the price diff and dosing difference as I'm using aquavitro. Might be something worthwhile tracking and LET US KNOW what you see.

 

[jeffaquarius]

That's the reason why you dose, it's because the IO doesn't have enough of those trace elements.

 

[huma-huma]

If they are dosing calc and mag on regular IO, i highly doubt switching to reef crystals is going to have that big of an impact

 

[carey]

I have used regular I/O in my reef tanks and have not had anything "bad" happen. My corals still grow and look just fine. The extra trace elements make a small difference in the end if you are doing regular water changes. I/O has those elements, just in a smaller amount and thus can be depleted faster. BUT if you do a water change and those elements are not depleted yet then you are fine. This would apply in a small tank where there is not alot of corals, or the corals are soft of lps. When you start messing with sps dominated tanks then it might be another story.

I prefer to use reef crystals BUT if I cant swing the extra $10 or so I use I/O. Switching salts should not be a huge deal like it is being made out to be.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It's not a big deal. But neither is testing and dosing. The pre-made alk/cal/mag solutions can be made for a lot less money using bulk chemicals.

 

[Animal-Chin]

I have maybe 25 sps coral in my 55 and one is now the size of a volley ball. I'd have to do daily water changes to keep up with the demand...lol Thats my fault though I love watching frags grow.

 

[Animal-Chin]

It's not a big deal. But neither is testing and dosing. The pre-made alk/cal/mag solutions can be made for a lot less money using bulk chemicals.

I bought 5 pounds of soda ash, 5 pounds of calcium and 5 pounds of mag powder for under 20 bucks. I use it a teaspon at a time so it should last me over 6 months.

 

[Ingy]

Do you have any pH control issues using just sodium carbonate? I know it has a higher natural pH terminal level than sodium bicarbonate and can cause excessively high pH.

 

[Animal-Chin]

No I made a drip out of a 2L bottle and some rubber tubing with a control so I can add 1 teaspoon over hours. It does raise the PH, when I didn't dose I would usually sit around 8.0 and now I'm over 8.2 all the time. If I do a daily dose it'll stay there but if I don't for a few days it drops and my coral get mad at me. 8.4 is the highest reading i've ever seen but I was adding it over a minute or so all at once...

 

[Gregcoyote]

No I made a drip out of a 2L bottle and some rubber tubing with a control so I can add 1 teaspoon over hours. It does raise the PH, when I didn't dose I would usually sit around 8.0 and now I'm over 8.2 all the time. If I do a daily dose it'll stay there but if I don't for a few days it drops and my coral get mad at me. 8.4 is the highest reading i've ever seen but I was adding it over a minute or so all at once...

I use a medical doser and having an old system, I need the ph boost. You can turn sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) into sodium carbonate (soda ash) by just baking it in a oven.